Over the last five years there have been no fewer than five stunning country star breakups. Couples that seemed so happy broke up and shared all the acrimonious details.
What Are the Most Surprising Country Star Breakups?
On Tuesday (Sept. 30), news broke that Nicole Kidman had filed for divorce from Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage. It was a stunning development for a couple that had been the epitome of true love for nearly two decades.
Kelsea Ballerini‘s 2022 separation from husband Morgan Evans was nothing short of shocking, but it’s not the first time two country lovers have quit without warning.
In 2020, Kelly Clarkson filed for divorce from Narvel Blacksock’s son, Brandon Blackstock. Twelve days later, we got the news that country’s Carly Pearce and Michael Ray were no longer together, either.
Of course, this list of country music’s most surprising breakups wouldn’t be complete without Shania Twain‘s split from Mutt Lange.
LeAnn Rimes‘ affair with actor Eddie Cibrian was all but official by the time the singer announced she was separating from her first husband, but the news still hurt her biggest fans.
Not every breakup remained broken up, however — remember when Alan Jackson and his wife pressed pause on their relationship?
Trace Adkins, George Jones and Miranda Lambert are others who’ve parted ways unexpectedly.
Lambert’s divorce from Blake Shelton seemingly came out of nowhere in 2015. Tabloids had been reporting that the couple had marital troubles for years, but they’d also been reporting that they were pregnant with twins, so it was difficult to believe.
Scroll through below to relive the heartache of some of country’s biggest stars. If there’s one we missed, tell us about it in the comments section below.
18 Shocking Country Celebrity Breakups
This list has been updated to include Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, who separated in Sept. 2025.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
